Path 2

Path 2

Taking of Pelham 123 Trailer Looks Like Trouble

February 27, 2009

The trailer for the remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 is out. Trailers are of course a bad way to judge a movie (usually the movie is much duller), but this one has us already missing the 1974 original (which you can see on Hulu) very badly. Here’s a checklist:

Head Hijacker 1974: Robert Shaw, eerily calm, glasses-and-mustache, leads multicultural crew through force of intellect, psychological manipulation and sudden ruthless violence. Head Hijacker 2009: John Travolta, ebullient and buff and creepy-charming. Has assistance, but looks like more of a lone wolf.

The Mayor 1974: Whiny Ed Koch lookalike stuck in bed with a bad cold. The Mayor 2009: James Gandolfini, running through the streets. No clues as to his behaviors, but they are expected to be gritty and urban in the now traditional manner (e.g., swears).